Elgin Community College and Elmhurst College have expanded their partnership to make it easier for students at the two-year school to transfer to and earn credit for the four-year school.

The presidents of the two institutions signed updates to their 2015 accord last month through which ECC students now have guaranteed enrollment at Elmhurst College.

The new deal guarantees dual admission for any ECC student who plans to transfer to Elmhurst and allows them to earn up to 70 credit hours that can be transferred toward a bachelor’s degree from Elmhurst, an ECC news release said. Beyond that, dual enrollment means Elgin students have access to academic advisers from both schools and can participate in Elmhurst events and activities, the release said.

ECC students will also be allowed to take upper-level courses at Elmhurst at ECC tuition rates and can apply to Elmhurst College’s Honors Program, which requires the transferring student to have a 3.5 GPA or higher, the release said.

“The guaranteed admission and dual enrollment agreements create another avenue and opportunity to help move students to the next level of educational success,” ECC President David Sam said in a written statement. “We are always pleased to work with institutions like Elmhurst on student success-focused initiatives that will benefit students long after they have graduated from ECC.”

“The best partnerships are formed when they are focused on strengths,” Elmhurst College President Troy VanAken said in a written statement. “This agreement fits within our mission and values at Elmhurst; it focuses on seamless pathways for ECC students to be successful at Elmhurst.”